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LOT 1482
Western Asiatic Bronze Dagger
14TH-10TH CENTURY B.C.
12 1/4 in. (130 grams, 31 cm).
Triangular blade with raised midrib and a rectangular-section tang.
ProvenanceEx Abelita family collection, 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Khorasani, M.M., Arms and Armor from Iran: The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period, Tübingen, 2006, p.628, no.275, for type.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Large Amlash Bronze Spear-Head
14th-10th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Slender blade with raised midrib and a short, pierced tang; Amlash or Marlik. 300 grams, 39 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1990s. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Axehead
Late 3rd-early 2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £180 - 240 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
With a short socketted shaft, the plain rectangular blade broadening towards the cutting edge; side holes on the shaft. 446 grams, 11.4 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
Unadorned weapons, especially axes, adzes, and picks, were made by Luristan craftsmen using simple clay or stone bivalve moulds, into which a core was inserted to form the socket for the shaft. Typically, the metallic composition consisted of a combination of arsenical bronze and copper, together with a small percentage of lead. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Bulbous body with a tiered base; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 960 grams, 14.8 cm
From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια, where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.
